Authors and Publishers: If you're interested in me reviewing a book for you, please email me at the address below. I'm also available to do author interviews, host giveaways, and anything else book-related. I will only review YA (young adult) books of all genres. I might do adult paranormal romance.I'm accepting ARCs. Sorry, NO E-Books for now, unless I can put them on my iPhone's Kindle and REALLY want them.
Thanks :)
Email me:
onceuponareview(at)gmail(dot)com

For tonight (the last night) I will hopefully be finshing HALO by Alexandra Adornetto.

I thought I would get more books read but *shrugs* real life got in the way.

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MY READ-A-THON CHALLENGE!

So for the challenge I want you guys to be creative. I want you to draw your favorite scene from a book, write a poem about your favorite character, remake your favorite book cover entirely or find a song that best describes your favorite book.

You don't have to be a talented artist since i'm picking the winner based on randomly

(I will put up the winning entry if the winner wants)

But you can get extra entries depending on which one you do!

+4 drawing a favorite scene from a book+4 remake the cover of one of your favorite books+3 writting a poem about your favorite character+2 find a song that best decribes your book and tell me why

Hey guys! So I didn't do an IMM for last week so this week will be for that week and this week!It was a little slow for mail but I did buy some awesome books!(I'll put pics up later whenever I get my camera to work)

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Okay so I have way to many books I either have doubles of (some even triples) or I just need to get rid of! Period! So I'm will to either trade or sell. First come, first serve on the selling by if people have something to trade then i'll consider them first. Sorry guys, I just love getting new books though!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Today I have the pleasure of introducing the author of ONDINE, Ebony Mckenna, who is stopping by to do a guest post for her blog tour! Check out my review HERE.

Her debut novel, ONDINE, is available now!

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How a ferret became a hero

I never set out to write a novel about ferrets, yet from the moment an idea popped into my head about an animal that changed into a Scottish lad in the moonlight (with fireflies) I knew I had to write the story down.

But initially, the pet was a rat and not a ferret.

This idea lasted only a short time, before another animal took the rat’s place in my mind. A ferret.

Rats can make fabulous pets - but as I was playing with the ideas, I knew rats couldn’t excite me and make me laugh the way a ferret could.

I also felt I’d have an uphill battle giving a rat enough personality. And they’d been used in popular fiction plenty of times already. Templeton from Charlotte’s Web, Reepacheep in Prince Caspian, along with plenty of rats in the movies Ratatouille, and Ben. Rats are loyal and intelligent animals, but they are often used as the bad guys. I didn’t feel a rat could become a romantic hero. Other than to another rat. And this was not a rat book.

But then when the animal became a ferret, it felt so right. A few weeks earlier I’d seen a tv show about ferrets and they were so lively, rambunctious and full of personality. It’s as if they were designed for comedy. Racing down drainpipes, leaping about, chasing food, snuggling their owners. Oh they are sooooooo cute! I’d never had a ferret as a pet - which probably helped because if I’d known what they were really like I might never have written the book! Ferrets spend most of their days sleeping! How could a sleepyhead become a hero?

Ignorance, in my case, was complete bliss.

My mind raced to think of all the cheeky things ferrets could do. Because they were small and agile, they could sneak up under the eaves and spy on people. A talking ferret would be perfect for espionage.

I had another idea that Shambles could talk to other animals, like mice and rats, and bribe them with cheese. I can remember thinking Shambles would say, ‘they’re mad for gorgonzola.’ That storyline didn’t end up happening, but it was fun playing around with the idea.

Here’s another thing. I had no idea, when I was daydreaming about the girl in the night with an animal on her shoulder, that the animal would turn into a man. It was one of those strange things that played out in a daydream. The fact he changed, and was naked in the moonlight, made me grin from ear to ear.

But when he spoke? That got my attention! His Scottish accent made me smile even more. I love the people, the wicked humour and the country. My family heritage goes back to Scotland, which is handy. They have the funniest insults in the world. Plus, at the time I started writing Ondine, the delicious Scot David Tennant had just taken over the TV role of Dr Who.

OK, so now I had my ferret hero, but to be a true hero he had to be heroic. There were a few times when he was heroically stupid, and he made me laughed out loud. But he also shares a deep and abiding bond with Ondine. And as all heroes do, he makes some mistakes but he comes good in the end because his heart is pure.

As he grows to love Ondine, he also understands that he needs to be good enough for her. He steps up, he’s responsible not just for saving Ondine but her whole family - and by doing that he is the only one worthy of Ondine’s love (and I think Ondine is the only girl worthy of him too. I swear, if I were 20 years younger, I’d be so jealous of Ondine!)

The mind does strange things - and the mind of a writer can be a very strange place. I have never been able to explain how I get ideas, only that I do get plenty of them, often when I’m least expecting them and they surprise me with how bizarre they are.

Reading the book in published state, it might seem as if all the ideas sprang forth, fully formed. But there were many ideas that were left out in the process, and some didn’t come along until many revisions later.

But I am so very grateful that a kooky furball, bursting with personality, jumped out of my brain that day and won my heart. I hope he wins yours as well.

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ABOUT EBONY MCKENNA

Ebony McKenna lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and young son.

She has worked as an award winning journalist, market researcher, waitress, website contributor, accounts manager and company director.

In high school McKenna excelled in English and Literature, earning herself a place in the journalism course at Melbourne's RMIT University.

In the 1990s she worked as a journalist on many leading Melbourne newspapers. She won many awards - including scooping first and second place in the one night for best news report. By day she wrote other people's stories, but by night she plotted epic adventures.

This is a brilliantly witty story with a furry tail ending. One girl. One boy. One spell to be broken. Ondine de Groot is a normal fifteen-year-old who lives with her family in the European country of Brugel. She has a pet ferret called Shambles. But Shambles is no ordinary ferret...He's Hamish McPhee, a boy cursed by a witch. A witch who happens to be related to Ondine. When Shambles turns back into Hamish temporarily, Ondine knows that she has to help him break the spell. He is the most gorgeous boy she has ever met and her one true love! He just can't remain a ferret forever. Can he?

COMING FEBRUARY 2011!

Ondine: The Autumn Palace by Ebony Mckenna

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GIVEAWAY!

Ebony has kindly provided me with an extra copy of ONDINE to giveaway to one luck winner!

Rules are simple!

*Leave a comment below telling me what your favorite animal is.*

CONTEST RULES:-US/CANDA only-Winner will be chosen using Random.org-Ends September 10th, 11:59 p.m. EST

You do not have to be a follower to enter, so there will be no extra entries!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

~ Grab your current read~ Open to a random page~ Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page~ BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)~ Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

"I did not expect to love his words. I did not expect to find myself in them. Is falling in love with someone's story the same thing as falling in love with the person himself?"

Monday, August 23, 2010

Title: OndineAuthor: Ebony MckennaPublished: April 5th, 2010 Pages: 336Rating: 4 flowersSummary:This is a brilliantly witty story with a furry tail ending. One girl. One boy. One spell to be broken. Ondine de Groot is a normal fifteen-year-old who lives with her family in the European country of Brugel. She has a pet ferret called Shambles. But Shambles is no ordinary ferret...He's Hamish McPhee, a boy cursed by a witch. A witch who happens to be related to Ondine. When Shambles turns back into Hamish temporarily, Ondine knows that she has to help him break the spell. He is the most gorgeous boy she has ever met and her one true love! He just can't remain a ferret forever. Can he?

My Thoughts:

ONDINE is a quick, humorous read that makes for a fabulous debut book.

I'm not one to read middle grade books, but I'm glad I read this one! It was just a fun little fairytale set in the fictional country of Brugel that mixes talking ferretts, dukes, witches and Physic Summercamp.

The book is full of humor and wit, it had me laughing all the way. On some of the pages there are little footnotes which I thought were absolutely funny. Although the characters weren't that fleshed out for me, Shambles was my favorite. He is such a 'cheeky' character with a little mouth on him but he is so loveable. I kept imagining a scottish-talking ferrett throught the book and it had me laughing. I loved getting to know more about Ondine's family (who I certainly would not put up with), as well as Ondine and Shambles.

It was kind of hard to get into the writing in the begining but after a few chapters, ONDINE grew on me. The storyline flowed pretty easily. I was able to finish it in one sitting, which is good!

The cover is absolutely gorgeous and shiny! The girl doesn't really resemble Ondine but she is still a good fit for the cover. The second book in the series has a gorgeous cover also!

Over, I would definetly recommend ONDINE to all young readers out there because it such a fun, fairtytale-esque story. Ebony Mckenna knows how to make her readers laugh out loud with her witty characters. I can't wait to find out more about Ondine and Hamish (Shambles in human form) in her second book, THE AUTUMN PALACE, coming out February 2011!

*Received from Ebony Mckenna as part of a blog tour for an honest review.*

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Title: The DUFFAuthor:KodyKeplingerPublished: September 7, 2010 Pages: 288Rating: 5 flowersSummary:Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

My Thoughts:

THE DUFF is an emotional, thrilling ride that will leave your eyes glued to every page.

I was so excited when I received this book in the mail! I had heard mixed reviews on it so I was dying to see for myself if THE DUFF was going to be worth the read. And trust me, it was!

The writing style in the beginning made my eyes wonder off but it quickly picked up and became very hard to put down. THE DUFF is a well paced book. Not too slow and not too fast. I loved the premise for the book. Seventeen year old Bianca self-perceives herself as "The DUFF" when major hottie Wesley refers her by "Duffy" at a club. After that, Bianca can't seem to get the name out of her head. She ends up using him (in a sexual sense) as an escape from reality but ends up falling for him, only adding to the problems she's trying to escape from.

Even though Bianca is hilarious, cynical and has an awesome sense of sarcasm, I didn't like her that much. I think the fact that she cursed almost every two pages did it in for me. I mean, I understand with her situation it was kind of to be expected, but I thought it was a little too much. She still was a realistic character to me. I couldn't relate to everything about her but I still found myself knowing exactly what she was going through.

Wesley on the other hand, was my favorite character! He was definitely swoon-worthy!

Overall, THE DUFF was an amazing book that surpasses the other young adult books out there because it deals with some of the real issues young adults actually go through. I think KodyKeplinger's writing style is beautifully done and very desriptive. Being a teen herself sure did give her an upperhand on mastering all the teen issues perfectly. She wasn't afraid to write about the topics that are barely even mentioned in other young adult novels; like alcoholism, insecurities and sex. I loved THE DUFF with a passion and I am looking forward to more of KodyKeplinger's work!

Today for the August Blogger Birthday Bash, I have the pleasure of introducing the author of the MY BLOOD APPROVES SERIES, Amanda Hocking, who is stopping by again for the event to do a guest post and throw in a little giveaway!

The fourth book in her My Blood Approves series, WISDOM, comes out TODAY! (August 22nd!)

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BIRTHDAY MEMORIES!

My birthday is in the middle of July, and I always felt gypped when I was a kid. During the school year, kids would hand out invitations to most of the kids in the class for there parties, and they would big deals.

But mine was in the summer, and I never had the forsight to get my classmates phone numbers or addresses, so I had like three friends and my cousins at my parties.

I think that’s why as an adult, I always make a big deal out of them. I plan them months in advance so I can invite people as soon as I can. This year, I sent out e-vites back in March for an event on July 17th.

Because I’m a movie buff and blockbusters usually come out around July 4th, I’ve had a lot of movie themed birthday parties. Once it was The Lion King, and I was so excited to see it that I threw up on the way to the theater. I also had a Jurassic Park party two years in a row. I was that cool.

For my eighteenth birthday, I dyed my hair blue, got a tattoo, and saw Reign of Fire with Christian Bale. Well, the movie starrred Christian Bale. I didn’t see it with him. If I had, that would probably be the best birthday ever.

As a kid, I hated having a summer birthday, but now I love it. Because of Christmas and my birthday, I get presents every six months. Plus, its summer, so I can go camping or go to amusement parks or do just about anything I want.

But whenever your birthday is and no matter how old you get, you should always make a big deal out of it. It’s the one day of the year to celebrate you, and that’s pretty awesome.

___________________________________________________________Visit Amanda Hocking on her website(s):

For her eighteenth birthday, Alice Bonham takes a vacation to Australia only to have her trip cut short by an unexpected murder.While Alice tries to solve the murder, she regrets some of the choices she's made, especially the more permanent ones.On top of that, the child vampire is running loose, and its attracting some very unwanted attention...

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GIVEAWAY!

Amanda is kindly offering up one paperback copy of the first book MY BLOOD APPROVES to one lucky winner!

AND

a MY BLOOD APPROVES inspired t-shirt will go to a second lucky winner!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Today, I am excited to have Brenda Pandos, the author of the debut novel THE EMERALD TALISMAN, stopping by to talk a little about her inspiration, supporters and writing, for her blog tour hosted by the lovely Eleni at La Femme Readers. Thank you so much Brenda for stopping by!

Success stories inspire me. Not the ones where the person just happens to be at the right place at the right time, but the ones who struggle, get knocked down, get up again and keep going. The underdog who everyone said couldn’t do it and overcame all kinds of obstacles to achieve their dream. And when they do make it, stay humble in their success. Those stories grab me, propel me and give me goosebumps.At first, I wrote to escape. I’m super motivated by fun. If I don’t have anything fun to think about or look forward to, I wither away. When my son’s ASD diagnosis hit the scene, my husband and I were shell shocked and life stopped. We simplified, we analyzed, we researched, we clung to each other. We did everything we could do to get our son help. Then, two months later, his little brother was born. Life was just crazy. I quit my job and became a SAHM (which I didn’t mind), became utterly exhausted, and had lots of people come into my home all day long to work with my oldest. Lots of change. I needed something fun to think about during the mundane routine of our day. I read a little fiction (which I hadn’t done for a long time), watched TV (which I had to fight my kids over) but a bio from a famous author got my creative juices flowing and I decided to write my own love/fantasy story. That’s where The Emerald Talisman was born. My characters fed my soul, gave me happiness and brought the fun back to me and my friends who read my (very crappy) first chapters. Then, I was writing for them.Now I write because my fans want a sequel. That’s super motivating and exciting for me. It’s such an honor to know that my world was also a thrilling and wonderful escape for some body else. There’s no other compliment than for readers to fall in love with your characters and believe in them too!

SUPPORTERS?

My husband is my biggest supporter. Even though he doesn’t read fiction, he supports me emotionally (I’m pretty emotional). So, for hubby to patiently listen to me read him lines of text, freak out (in a good way) one minute and then get discouraged the next, he needs sainthood or something. But he always reminds me of what’s important and helps me pull it together and keep going. His love is the wind beneath my wings.My best friend and other online friends read my fledgling chapters, praised them and told me to keep going (even if they fudged a little in their enthusiasm). That made me want to be a better storyteller. My editor became my biggest supporter of my growth during editing. She took me under her wing and nudged me along step by step with loads of encouragement. I wrote to get the “great line” comments in my story.

DO YOU THINK WRITING HAS A PHYSICAL AS WELL AS AN EMOTIONAL EFFECT ON A PERSON?

Oh boy, does it ever. My kids are pieces of my heart, running around outside my body. My book feels like the same thing. A writer really puts themselves on the line when they open themselves and let others read what’s inside. Even my mother, who knows me almost as well as my husband does, said she learned new things about me when reading my manuscript. We are like peas and carrots, so that’s truly amazing.And when I get another great review, I dance around the kitchen and get teary. :)

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ABOUT BRENDA PANDOS

Brenda Pandos lives in Carmichael, California with her husband and two energetic children. Shortly after the birth of her second son, Brenda's oldest was diagnosed with an ASD that turned her world upside-down. Her life became round the clock feedings with a newborn and a daily stream of tutors working to help her toddler. She craved a meaningful escape.

The main concepts of THE EMERALD TALISMAN came to her in the wee hours of the morning as she reminisced the good old days when she lived with her best friend in the Santa Cruz Mountains. As a young girl, Brenda was a hopeless romantic, constantly lost in a fantasy world in her backyard of knights on white horses, mermaids and evil villains. As a teen, shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Interview with a Vampire intrigued her. With the encouragement of a friend after writing one chapter, she continued on to complete her first manuscript.

THE EMERALD TALISMAN is a compilation of what the author would like to happen if she ever encountered a real vampire.

To be normal, sixteen-year-old Julia Parker would shed her empathic gift in a second. Life has been difficult since her mother's mysterious disappearance ten years earlier - an event she witnessed, but can't remember. Julia's situation becomes more complicated after a near death experience from a blood thirsty stalker. As high school students go missing it is clear there is a connection to her own experience--past and present. Someone has to stop the madness and a chance encounter with a creepy psychic foretells that only Julia is the key to stopping the madness, but it may require the life of the one she loves.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Today for the August Blogger Birthday Bash, I have the pleasure of introducing the author of WISDOM, Amanda Hocking, who is stopping by for the event to do an interview!

The fourth book in her My Blood Approves series, WISDOM, comes out August 22nd!

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ABOUT AMANDA HOCKING

"I live in Minnesota, and even though I hated it a lot growing up, I really love it here now. (Ask me again when its twenty below and I'm scraping ice off my windshield, and I might answer different.)

When I was in grade school and we had to do reports on things, I always picked the more obscure subject. For animals, I picked the okapi and the narwhal, and when I did a report on countries, I picked Luxembourg. I know lots and lots of trivia about lots and lots of pointless things.

I write young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy mostly. The My Blood Approves series is about vampires in Minneapolis, and its available now. I also wrote the Trylle Trilogy, and the first book Switched is out now, with the second book coming out Fall 2010.

The next series to hit e-shelves will probably be Honalee a YA series about witches, and probably Hollowland, my zombie novel that I love. A lot. But it might be something else entirely. I'll see how it goes." - by Amanda Hocking

Q) Who is your favorite fictional hero of all time?A) Batman, hands down.

Q) What historical person do you most identify with? A) Anne Frank. She hid out in and wrote in her diary all the time, and that's pretty much how I spent my middle-school years. Admittedly, her life was a lot more tragic than mine.

Q) Are you planning on doing anything special in August?A) Two things - I'm releasing the fourth book in my vampire series Wisdom, and I am going full-time writing. Also, on August 17th, my mom will be 49, and my cat will be 7.

Q) Do you have a favorite Birthday memory?A) A couple years ago I met Darth Vader on my birthday. Okay, it was a guy in an authentic Darth Vader costume, but it was still pretty sweet. I also rode in the Millenium Falcon.

Q) If you were to bake a cake what kind of cake would it be?A) The Funfetti kind that comes in a box with pink frosting and sprinkles.

Q) What is your most treasured gift that someone has given you?A) My life. Thanks, Mom.

Q) If you could chose one of your characters to come to life and celebrate with-who would be at the top of your list?A) Jack. He knows how to have a good time.

Q) What are some of your favorite books you've read this summer?A) Hourglass, the third book in the Evernight series by Claudia Gray, and Glimpse by Stacy Wallace Benefiel. I also re-read Nine Stories by J. D. Salinger. "A Lovely Day for Banana Fish" is my all-time favorite short-story by him. I also just started reading The Crow - the graphic novel that the movie is based on - by J. O'Barr, and so far it's good.

Q) What is your favorite saying or motto?A) "Why do we fall? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up." Whenever stuff gets hard or feels impossible, I think of that. It is sorta like a mantra in my head. It doesn't stop me from getting frustrated or angry, but it reminds me that the situation will help me in the future if I learn from it.

Q) What is the one thing you wish people would ask but never do?A) Anything about Val Kilmer. I'm an unofficial expert on him, but nobody seems to care.

For her eighteenth birthday, Alice Bonham takes a vacation to Australia only to have her trip cut short by an unexpected murder.While Alice tries to solve the murder, she regrets some of the choices she's made, especially the more permanent ones.On top of that, the child vampire is running loose, and its attracting some very unwanted attention...